Mining machine



I M.- P. HOLMES.

MINING MACHINE.

- APPLICATION FILED DEC.H,I918. V

11,428,505. 4 P nt d ept. 5,1922.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

IIHIIIIIHIHIHHHIII WWI M. P. HOLMES.

MINING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 11. 1918. 1,428,505. PatentedSept. 5,1922- 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

i l H lumen/i011" giorriellflolmfis.

,wen f? any.

Patented Sept. 5, 1922.

UNITED I srarss v n rarest MORRIS r. HOLMES, or creanrronryunw measl s, assienon' r0 sULLIvan MACHINERY QQMZEANY, e QO T QN MASSACHUSETTS- MINING MACHINE,

Apnfication filed, December 11, 12913 Serial No. 2,66,313,

Toval'Z'w/wm z'ztmay concern-r Be 1t known that I, Momus P. HoLMEs,

a citizen of the United States, residing at it @laremont, in the county of Sullivan and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mining Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification. N

This invention relates to mining machines, and especially, although not exclusively, to coal cutting machines of the longwall type, wherein a flat sided or cutter barypr'ovided with a cutter chain, projects in a substantially horizontal plane from one end" of a casing to which it pivoted wherein an electric or other motor contained in the said casing propels the machine by means of a flexible feeding member, usually a cable or chain, which is anchored at one end and which passes around guide sprockets or pulleys carried on what is; hereinafter described as the leading end of the casing or theend thereof opposite the cutter bar, and alsoi around a feed sprocket or druin driven by saidmotor,

hen in use in lo-ngwall undercutting, the cutter bar can be swung to one side or the other o f the casing at right angles to the length thereof and projectsunder the coal, and the feed member or chain lies as close possible to the longwa'll face which is being undercut and passes over one of the guide sprockets or pulleys, which is also located as close as possible to the face, in

order that the pull of the feed claim shall tend to keep the casing close alongside the face and shallnot exertiany turning moment tending to slue it horizontally. I r

.l'iieretofore the machine could be propelled cmlyv in one directiorn i. e. forward, or in the direction of the .end' thereof opposite the cutter bar, along the mine face, by means of the feed mechanism above referred to, and

a primary object oiftliis invention is to proride means whereby the machine can also be propelled in the opposite direction, i. e. in the direction of the cutter bar end thereof, as isfrequently desirable;

linother object ofj't'he invention is to 'provid'e an attachment whichis readily applicable toexisting mining machines, said at tachment comprising auxiliary guiding means for the flexible fe ding memb r, wher'eby'the moye ne'ntsof themachine are controlled, and'part'icularly whereby the direction of travel of machines of the longwall type,maybereversed, as above mentioned.

lheiOregO-I-ng and other objects of the in- -vention,;together with means whereby the same maybe carried into effect, will best be understood from the iiollowing description ofi certain 'forms or embodiments thereof shown for purposesbi Illustration in the accompanying drawings,

In said "drawings: c

F ig;1-is a top plan view of a coal cutting machine of the longwall type, illustrating the usual operation and direction of travel of such amachine.

Fig. 2 is a similar View of the same ma chine, showing said machine as provided with means, embodying the present invenshown as p'rojecting at right angles from the right hand side of the casing oithe machine, looking in the direction of travel thereof, i I

Fig, 3 is view'substantially similar to Fi g. 2, but showing the cutter bar projecting at right angles on the otherside of the casshowing a known longwall. type comprising a -main irame or, casing A, toone end of which a flat sided 1b or cutter bar B is pivoted at B to swing about an axis transverseto the cutting plane, and about which travels a cutter chain. G provided with reversible cut-, tor bits Q Mounted in the central portion ofthe casing A is an electric or other motor I) which through suitable transmission mechanism E-,-E actuates a sprocket wheel F for drivingthe cutter chain. Atthe other end of the casing A is mounted the feed mechanism, designated as a whole by the let- :ter G, comprising a feed drum or sprocket G whlch 1s: connected by suitable transm1ssion mechanism H'with the shaft D of the motor: and cooperates with'the flexible feed ,member or chain J, and guide pulleys or sprockets G G and Gflwhich also cooperate with the feed chain J, and two of which,

namely the sprockets G and G are situated 'tion, whereby the same may be fed in the opposite direction, the cutter bar being on opposite sides of the casing with their peripheries extending beyond the sides thereof, while the third, namely the sprocket G is located between the sprockets G and G in the center line of the casing. The feed chain J is securely anchored at one end, as by a suitable jack K situated close to the face L that is being cut, and extends as close as possible along said face to the guide sprocket G around which it passes to the guide sprocket G thence around the feed sprocket G and around the third guide sprocket G where the other end is paid ofi". Owing to this arrangement of the feed mechanism and the anchored feed chain, when the machine is at work the casing is kept close to the face, with which it is parallel, and this result is aided by the reaction of the cutter chain C in the act of cutting, which acts on the followingor cutter bar end of the casing to keep the casing close up to the wall. Such an arrangement of the feed mechanism permits of the machine being fed in only one direction, as indicated by the arrow M. It is sometimes desirable, however, to be able to back the machine, that is to say, to cause the same to be so fed that,

while cutting coal, the travel of the casing will be in the opposite direction along the same face. In this event the cutter bar end of the casing, which is usually the following end, will become the leading end, and the feed mechanism end, which is usually the leading end, will become the following end and will trail along after the cutter bar. When the machine is thus cutting backwards the direction of movement of the cutter chain C must be reversed after. the cutter bits C shall have been correspondingly reversed in their position upon the chain.

According to the present invention this backing or reverse feeding of the machine can be; effectively performed with a minimum addition of parts to machines otherwise constructed as usual, by the provision on the cutter bar end of the machine of additional guide sprockets N and N as shown in Fig. 2. These sprockets are supported in, or approximately in, the plane of cut of the machine; the sprocket N being so mounted as to belocated as close as possible to the face L, and in advance of the cutter bar B, that is to say, forward of it in the new direction of travel of the casing as indicated by the arrows Q; while the sprocket N is mounted substantially in line with the other side of the casing. It will be seen that the two sprockets N and N atthe one end of the casing, are respectively in line with the two sprockets G and G, at the other end, and are at opposite sides of the casing. The feed chain J, which is now anchored to a jack K set ahead in the direction of the arrows 0 close up to the face, extends as close as possible along the face, passes around the additional guide sprocket N and then around the second additional guide sprocket N whereupon the chain passes along the side of the casing and around the guide sprocket G, then around the feed sprocket G and afterwards around the remaining guide sprockets G and G where the slack chain is paid off. When the motor D is driven in the reverse direction as compared with its direction of rotation in the machine as shown in Fig. l, the machine will be propelled backwards in the direction indicated by thearrows O, and the pull of the feed'chain will again tend to keep the casing close alongside the face, this being aided as before by the reaction of the cutter chain, which now travels in a direction opposite to that indicated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows the same machine as shown in Fig. 2 with the cutter bar B swung around on its pivot to the other side of the casing, and with the additional guide sprockets N N mounted in acorresponding position relative to the cutter bar. The sprocket N is now situated on the opposite side of the casing as compared with its position in Fig. 2, but it is again situated as close as it is possible to the face L in advance of the cutter bar in the direction of travel indicated by the arrows O. The feed chain J is again led from the anchor K, also situated close to the face, and passes around the guide sprockets N N along the side of the casing, and then around the guide sprocket G the feed sprocket G and the guide sprockets G and G where the slack end is paid off. It will therefore be seen that. this machine is arranged to cut a face L situated on the side of the casing opposite to that cut by the machine shown in Fig. 2,v the machine. being fed backwardly by the motor in both cases.

As shown in Figs. 4- and5, the above mentioned additional guide sprockets N and N are conveniently pivotallymounted on a bracket or. arm P which is provided with aperturedears or lugs P ,.P through which can-pass vertical pins or bolts Q respectively, for detachably securing the bracket in place, these bolts being disposed parallel with the axis of swing of the jib, and preferably received in the unused pair of the three apertures P usually provided radially about the bar pivot for the purose of selectively receiving the pin or bolt e which in turn extends into a registering aperture (not shown). in the bar and thereby holds the latter in its longitudinal or different lateral positions relative to the casing. It will be seen that the. arm or bracket P is reversible and, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, can be mounted on the end of the casing A with the sprocket N situated at the one side or the other thereof, as requiredby the position of the machine relative to the face which is being cut, the bolt Q being correspondingly on the one side or the other of the casing. The bracket or arm P is preferably slotted at P to form passages for the coalcuttings.

Fig. 6: shows a modified arrangement of the additional guide sprockets N N on the cutter bar end of the casing. In this modified construction the sprockets N and N are each mounted on a bracket R R respectively, bolted to the casing A, by which brackets they are overhung into the plane of cut; The operation of the sprockets in conjunction with the feed chain J is, however, the same as described above with reference to Figures 2 and 3;

For convenience and brevity of description, the flexible feeding member, J is'herein frequently referred toas a feed chain, and the members G G N N etc. as sprockets,

although the member J may equally well be a rope or cable, and the other members pulleys, drums, or the like, in accordance with several types of feed mechanism of "this general character well known in the art, and the terms herein employed are to be understood as including all such well known equivalents.

lVhile I have in this application specifically described several forms which my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that these forms of the same are shown for purposes of illustration and that the invention may be modified and embodied in other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appencle claims. 7

lVhat I clalm as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a mining machine, a casing, a laterally extending cutter bar at one end thereof,.feeding mechanism on the opposite end of said casing, guiding means disposed on said casing adjacent said bar and the face, and a flexible feed member cooperating with said feeding mechanism-and having a transversely extending portion engaging said guiding means.

2'. In a mining machine, a casing, a laterally extending cutter bar at one end thereof,

feeding mechanism on the opposite end of said casing, a, plurality of guiding members disposed on said casing adjacent and substantially parallel to said bar, and a flexible feed member cooperating witl'ifsaid feeding mechanism and consecutively engaging said guiding members. c

3. In a mining machine, a casing, a laterally extending cutter bar at one endthereof, feeding mechanism on said casing, a bracket on said casing having a cutting passage, a plurality of guiding members on said bracket adjacent and substantially parallel to said bar, and a flexible feed member co operating with said feeding mechanism and engaging said guiding members.

4a In a mining machine, a longwall machine casing slid-able on a minebottom, a

cutter bar carried on an end thereof and disposable laterally relative thereto, at either side thereof, guiding me:

and flexible feedingand .s for advancing the bar carrybai is in either lateral position.

5. In a miningmachine, a longwall machine casingslidable "on a mine bottom, a cutter barcarricd on. one end thereof and disposed laterally relative thereto at either side thereof. and flexible feeding and guiding means including a guiding member adiacent the fac for advancing the bar carry-' ing end of said casing along the face in GIEll-GI'JDOSllLlOIl of said bar.

6. In combination, a mining machine having bar disposable laterally at either side thereof, a guide carrying bracket disposable cooperating with, said. mechanism,and guiding means for said membersupported adyacent the bar pivot in either. lateral position ofsa'id bar. c

In a miningmachine. a longwall machine casing slidableon a mine bottom, a

cutterbar pivoted at one end thereof and disposable relativethereto laterally either side thereof, feeding mech aismon the other end. of said casing, a flexible feediin member cooperating with saidmechanism,and guiding means for said member adjacent the bar pivot andthe face in either lateral position of said bar.

10. In a mining marhine, a longwall machine casing slidable on a mine bottom, a cutter barpivoted at one end thereof and disposed relative theretolaterally. at either side thereof, feeding mechanism 011 the other end of said casing, aflexible feeding member cooperating with said mechanism, and guiding means for said member .pported adjaent the bar pivotand on opposite sidesof one end of saidcasing in either lateral position of'said bar. I y

11. In a mining machine, alongwall machine casing slidable on a mine bottom,a

r end of sald: casing along a face when said relative to one end of said ma- I chine and having provision for the passage of cuttings theretl'n'ougz h, and means for supilexible teed member, a

y it

ing cutte mechanism at th other end thereof, tlexible feed member, and guiding. means therefor the bar suppciting end of saidca inp; comnrisinoj a gll lx support and rotatm ble guiding: eleme,

s thereon havino; their axes located substa tiallv in a l ne p A to the longitudinal axis of said ba1' il'l0- cated on opposite sides of" one end of said casing.

13. l n a niininof machine, a casing; movable lengthwise along a "face, cutter bardis posable laterally at either s de thereof, teediin'mochanism at the other end thereof. 7C

lfirscket fixed. to the bar supporting end of saio casing, guiding; members carried on said lllfiwlct and dis posed one adjacent one sine or one end of said casing and the other adjia cent the face, and means supporting; said bracket in re .verse positions of said bar.

in a m1 ins machine, a casing, oted laterally -.-It61l(lll)l8 c end thereof, means for he: l

pivbar on one ,i said bar in ditl erent angular positions on said casing including a pin and plurality of apertures radially located relati e to the bar pivot, a guide carrying member disposed adjacent the pivot o't said cutter bar, guiding means thereon, and means for securing said mem her in position, said means being; located. in an unused aperture.

15. In mining machine, a casing, a pivoted laterally extendible cutter bar on one end thereof, means tor holding; said bar in different angull r positions OE lCl casing; ineluding pin and plura" of apertures radially located relative to the bar pivot, guide carrying member disposed adjacent the pivot of said cutter bar, guiding means thereon, and means for securing said member in position, said means being located in a plurality oi unused apertures.

16. A. mining machine attachment comprising substantially hshaped bracket hai ing a plurality of guiding members, one located at the extremity of one of its arms and the other located adjacent the junction oil its arms, and means for attaching said bracket to a mining machine. I I

17. A mining machine attachment comprising a substantially L-shaped bracketha Stilt,

feed sprocket,

ets carried eas es 'therethrough;

A machine attachment coming a substantially i i-shaped bracket hava plurality of rotatable sprockets, one ti d at the extremity of one of its arms and the other located adjacent the junction of its arms, and means for attaching said lnacket to a mining; machine including; an aperture in its 0th K oi .1.il11f1 '19. is, ainiing machine comprising, in combination, casii'ie a cutter bar pivoted to casing at one end thereof and adapted to occupy position transverse thereto at e ther side thereof, and means for feeding said machine across the mine face comprising; a flexible feeding member and a member provided with a plurality of devices for guiding saidfierzible member at the end of said casingadjacent said cutter bar, said last named member being reversible to position either of said guiding devices at either sideot said casing.

90. In a mining;- machine the combination with asine, of a cutter bar pivoted to one end ot'said casing to swing to'either side thereof about an axis transverse to the cutting plane, a set of sprockets including a all mounted on the end of the opposite to that at which the cutter bar piv 's situated, econd set of sprockb f that end of the casing at which the cutter bar pivot is situated, two or" the sprockets 0t each set being situated respectively adjacent opposite sides of the easing, a motor in the casing operatively con nected with said teed sprocket, and a feed chain cooperating with sprockets in both of said sets-to feed the machine.

21. In a mining machine, the combination with a casing, a cutter bar pivotedto one end of said casing to swing to either side thereof about an axis transverse to the cutting plane,

and a set of sprockets including a feed sprocket all mounted on the end of the casing opposite to that at which the cutter bar pivot is situated, of a second set of sprockets, an arm carrying said second set, bolts for securing said arm to that end of the casing at which the cutter bar pivot is situated, two of the sprockets of each set being situated respectively adjacent opposite sides of the casing, a motor in the casing operatively connected with said teed sprocket, and a "feed chainc'ooperating with sprockets in both of said sets to feed the machine.

in testimony whereof I aiiix mv signature.

MGRRIS r. HOLMES.

extremity and "a coop- Certificate of Correction.

' It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,428,505, granted September 5, 1922, upon the application of Morris P. Ho1nies of Claremont, New Hampshire, for an improvement in Mining Machines, errors appear in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 3, line 60, claim 3, for the word cutting read cuttings; same page, line 121, claim 10, for the word disposed read disposable and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 31st day of October, A. D., 1922.

s: in v KARL FENNING,

Acting! Commissioner of Patents. 

